628.99 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 

fp  2LX,  t / 


Univ.of  111.  Libra r; 
1734 


THE 

SEWERAGE  AND  DRAINAGE, 

» # 


NEWPORT,  R.  I. 

* <• 


PROPOSITION  OF  THE 

DRAINAGE  CONSTRUCTING  COMPANY, 

Submitted  November  2d,  1880. 


. 18S0. 

DAVIS  & PITMAN,  STEAM  JOB  PRINTERS, 

NEWPORT,  R.  I. 


LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


NEWPORT,  R.l. 

Map  showing 

Sewers,  Pumping  Stations,  Flush-Tanks,  Etc., 
Proposed  to  be  furnished 
by 

The  Drainage  Construction  Company 

To  Accompany  Proposition 
to  the 

MAYOR  / COMMON  COUNCIL 
November  1880 


N 


Ini  Heuo 


o 

r> 


PROPOSITION. 


si 


J*> 


The  Drainage  Construction  Company,  a chartered 
corporation  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  proposes  to  con- 
struct in  the  City  of  Newport  the  sewers  shown  on  the 
accompanying  plan,  (with  sub-soil  drains,  house-connec- 
tion branches,  flush-tanks,  fresh-air  inlets  and  all  other 
necessary  appurtenances  as  carried  out  in  the  sewerage  of 
Memphis,)  within  the  space  of  one  year,  for  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  ($150,000). 

This  Proposition  is  explained  more  in  detail  in  the  accom- 
panying documents,  and  is  subject  to  the  acceptance  of  the 
City  until  the  31st  day  of  December,  1880. 

For  the  Company, 

[signed.]  ROBERT  B.  POTTER, 

President. 


r.y.Li 

£ COMPANY.  ) 


Boston,  Nov.  ist,  1880. 


y- 


S5S7S0 


CONDITIONS. 


The  whole  system  to  be  carried  out  in  accordance  with 
the  work  done  in  Memphis  unless  modifications  are  mutu- 
ally agreed  upon. 

The  lateral  sewers  to  be  6 inches  in  diameter  and  the  main 
outlet  to  be  15  inches  in  diameter,  with  intermediate  sizes 
for  the  submains. 

Fresh  air  inlets  not  to  exceed  70  in  number. 

Flush  tanks  as  shown  on  the  map,  by  circles  at  the  heads 
of  the  lines.  (118  in  number.) 

A house  connection  drain  to  be  continued  from  the  sewer 
to  the  outer  line  of  the  sidewalk  opposite  every  house  or 
vacant  lot  along  both  sides  of  the  streets  to  be  sewered, 
their  number  not  to  exceed  2000. 

A pump-well,  or  sump,  to  be  constructed  at  each  of  the 
two  points  indicated,  of  at  least  1500  cubic  feet  capacity,  to 
be  connected  with  the  main  sewer  by  cast  iron  force  mains 
with  leaded  joints. 

Tile  drains  of  suitable  size  to  be  laid  in  all  sewer  trenches, 
including  the  main  line  as  far  as  the  junction  of  Thames 
and  Farewell  Streets. 

If  the  contract  is  signed  before  January  1st,  1881,  the 
work  to  be  entirely  completed  before  January  1st,  1882. 

No  trenches  to  be  open  on  Thames  Street,  Spring  Street, 
Touro  Street,  or  Bellevue  Avenue  between  June  1st  and 
October  1st. 

For  monthly  payments  the  work  to  be  estimated  at  the 
following  rates  : 


4 


6 inch  sewers  per  foot, 

$ .92 

8 “ “ 

1. 12 

10  44  “ 

1.46 

12  44  44 

1.60 

15 

2.65 

House  connections  each, 

5.00 

Flush  Tanks  each, 

30.00 

Fresh  air  inlets  each, 

40.00 

The  work  to  be  measured  at  the  end  of  each  month  ; 80 
per  cent,  of  the  amount  due  according  to  the  above  schedule 
to  be  paid  in  cash  to  the  Company  before  the  ioth  day  of 
the  succeeding  month  ; and  20  per  cent,  to  be  retained  until 
the  completion  of  the  work. 

On  the  completion  of  the  work  the  balance  due  on  the 
contract, — being  the  difference  between  the  amount  paid 
and  $150,000, — to  be  paid  in  cash  within  30  days. 

If  desired  the  company  will  agree  to  pay  a forfeit  of  $50 
per  day  for  every  day’s  delay  beyond  the  date  of  comple- 
tion specified,  on  condition  that  it  is  to  receive  $50  per  day 
for  every  day  after  the  completion  of  the  work  and  before 
the  time  of  completion  specified  in  the  contract. 

The  total  lengths  of  sewers  of  the  different  sizes,  as 
nearly  as  they  can  be  measured  on  the  map,  are  : 


6 inch, 

87,600  lineal  feet. 

8 inch,  . * . 

5,550  “ 

10  inch, 

3,600  44  44 

.12  inch, 

2,750  44 

15  inch, 

. . . 11,100  4 4 4 4 

The  meaning  of  the 

contract  is  that  all  sewers  are  to  be 

extended  so  far  as  may  be  necessary  to  receive  a house 
connection  drain  from  each  house  or  house  lot  within  the 
district — whether  more  or  less  than  the  above. 

The  city  is  to  furnish  right  of  way  free  of  cost,  and  to 
allow  the  new  Perry  St.  sewer  to  be  taken  as  a part  of  the 
system. 


Author., 
(Surname  first) 

Title *2^ 


Da^  o-t  7b;  \l 

•^O^o  z-\ 

C.  o st 
. 0-0 

C.Wr<jc4  ^ 

V iLsv\llST~A--Q — 


Edition. 


Place 


Date  of  pub 

To  be  charged  to 

Recommended  by 


fund. 


Approved  by. 


Univ.  of  111.  Lib.  When  this  book  has  been  received  and  cataloged  this  card,  if  filled  out  by 

the  department,  will  be  returned  to  the  person  “recommending,”  or,  if  no  one  is 
specified,  then  the  one  “approving”  the  book  order  for  his  information. 


ARGUMENT. 


The  acceptance  of  the  Company’s  proposition  of  course 
involves  an  abandonment  of  the  plan  prepared  by  Capt. 
Cotton,  with  the  approval  of  Mr.  Chesborough,  which  has 
been  recommended  by  the  Committee  on  Streets  and  High- 
ways. 

Not  to  weary  the  Council  and  the  public  with  a long 
discussion  as  to  the  relative  merits  of  large  and  small  sewers, 
attention  is  called  to  the  following  editorial  of  the  London 
Local  Government  Chronicle , which  sets  forth  the  opinion 
of  the  best  Sanitary  Engineers  of  Great  Britain.  It  is  suffi- 
cient to  say  that  Robert  Rawlinson,  Esq.,  C.  B.  Engineer  to 
the  Local  Government  Board  of  England  is  generally  ac- 
cepted as  the  leading  authority  of  the  world  in  sanitary  en- 
gineering. His  opinion  as  quoted  below  can  be  supported  if 
necessary  by  arguments  of  the  most  convincing  character. 

"There  are  two  main  causes  which,  more  than  any  others, 
have  prevented  sewerage  schemes  from  being  carried  out  in 
this  country,  and  have  rendered  them  unpopular  or  mis- 
chievous where  they  have  been  carried  out.  The  first  has 
been  their  great  expense,  and  the  second  the  impossibility 
of  satisfactorily  disposing  of  the  great  volume  of  sewage 
which  finds  its  way  into  the  sewers,  especially  after  rain. 
It  seems  by  no  means  improbable  that  both  these  difficulties 
may  be  surmounted,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  by  means  of  a 
simple,  efficient  and  inexpensive  system  of  sewerage,  if  the 
principle  is  followed,  which  was  described  in  a paper  on  the 
"Sewerage  of  Memphis,”  which  was  read  by  Mr.  Rogers 
Field  at  the  late  Sanitary  Congress,  and  the  contents  of 
which  are  given  in  detail  in  another  column. 


6 


"The  principle  is  by  no  means  a new  one  one.  It  was 
advocated  many  years  since  by  Mr.  Rawlinson,  C.  B.,  the 
Chief  Engineering  Inspector  of  the  Local  Government 
Board  ; and  judging  from  his  remarks  on  the  paper  in  ques- 
tion, it  is  one  to  which  he  still  adheres,  and  which  has  been 
satisfactorily  adopted  in  some  towns  in  this  country.  It 
may  also  be  assumed  that  it  is  one  approved  of  by  Mr. 
Field,  whose  authority  on  such  matters  is  second  to  none  ; 
and,  although  it  was  disapproved  of  at  a meeting  of  sani- 
tary engineers  held  many  years  since,  it  is  a significant  fact 
that  not  one  of  the  eminent  engineers  present  at  the  Con- 
gress appears  to  have  had  a word  to  say  against  it.  It 
would,  perhaps,  be  difficult  to  determine  how  far  this  result 
was  due  to  the  consideration  that  the  principle  can  be  more 
efficaciously  carried  out  now  by  means  of  modern  appliances, 
such  as  the  automatic  flush  tank,  120  of  which  are  in  con- 
stant operation  at  Memphis,  and  how  far  it  was  owing  to 
the  defects  of  the  system  more  generally  adopted  having  now 
become  too  ajofarent  to  be  defended.  The  advantages  of 
the  principle  are,  however,  so  obvious,  that  whatever  may 
be  the  opinion  of  the  engineering  profession  with  respect  to 
it,  it  will  need  a very  strong  case  to  show  that  it  is  wrong. 

"Its  main  characteristic  is  the  substitution  of  very  small 
sewers,  varying  from  six  inches  to  fifteen  inches  in  diameter, 
for  the  reception  of  sewage  only,  in  place  of  the  usual  large 
storm  water  sewers,  varying  in  size  from  twelve  inches  in 
diameter  to  seven  feet.  The  saving  of  cost  thus  accom- 
plished in  construction  of  the  sewers  may,  ol  course,  be 
enormous  where  the  length  of  the  sewers  is  great;  and  the 
volume  of  sewage  to  be  treated  at  the  outfall  is  proportion- 
ately diminished.  Moreover,  the  sewage  is  comparatively 
undiluted,  and  reduced  in  bulk  without  injury  to  its  more 
valuable  constituents.  It  is,  according  to  Mr.  Rawlinson,  a 
mistake  to  provide  sewers  for  the  reception  of  the  rainfall. 
"If  an  engineer,”  he  says,  "goes  into  a town  and  makes  a 
rule-of-three  sum  as  to  what  should  be  done  to  take  away 
the  rainfall  he  makes  an  egregious  mistake.  The  surface 
water  should  not  go  into  the  sewers,  but  flow  over  the 
surface.”  If  this  is  the  case,  it  is  manifest  that  London  and 
Paris  and  the  majority  of  our  large  towns  have  been  sew- 
ered on  a principle  which  is  radically  wrong ; and  the 


7 


sooner  that  principle  is  abandoned  in  the  construction  of 
new  sewerage  systems  the  better.  It  cannot  well  be  main- 
tained that  the  new  system,  though  suitable  for  small, 
cannot  be  conveniently  adopted  for  large  towns,  for  Mem- 
phis has  a population  of  40,000  ; and  it  is  in  contemplation 
to  sewer  Washington  on  the  same  plan.* 

"In  short,  it  seems  clear  that  a sufficient  case  has  been 
made  out  to  cause  any  sanitary  authority  which  is  frof  os- 
in  g to  ado  jot  a system  of  large  storm  water  sezuers , to  joausc , 
and  enquire  whether  small  sewers  for  the  reception  of 
sewage  only,  carefully  laid,  and  periodically  flushed  by 
means  of  proper  flush  tanks,  would  not  be  better  and 
cheaper,  and  at  the  same  time  healthier.  The  large  sewers 
in  dry  seasons  are  only  too  likely  to  become  sewers  of 
deposit ; to  leak  and  give  off  offensive  odors  ; whereas,  the 
smaller  ones,  if  properly  laid  and  regularly  flushed,  may 
be  kept  equally  clean  the  whole  year  round.  It  may  be  open 
to  considerable  doubt  whether  all  the  details  of  the  Mem- 
phis sewerage  are  satisfactory,  and  especially  whether  it  is 
desirable,  as  has  been  done  there,  to  discard  the  use  of 
man-holes.  But  this  question  can  in  no  way  affect  the 
main  principle  of  the  scheme,  which  now  that  it  has  been 
found  a success,  and  now  that  it  has  been  publicly  sup- 
ported by  two  such  authorities  as  Mr.  Rawlinson  and  Mr. 
Field,  certainly  deserves  and  will  probably  receive,  a fair 
trial  on  the  part  of  the  Local  Boards  and  corporations  who 
are  for  the  first  time  taking  in  hand  the  sewerage  of  their 
districts.'” 


The  plan  for  large  sewers  now  under  consideration  is 
open  to  all  the  objections  obtaining  in  the  case  of  large  sew- 
ers everywhere. 

Aside  from  the  sanitary  defects  of  such  sewers  it  should 
be  a controlling  objection  in  Newport  that  they  are  enor- 
mously expensive.  Capt.  Cotton  estimates  the  cost  of 
his  outlet  sewers  only,  which  will  serve  for  the  drainage  of 
houses  only  on  Thames  St.  and  Washington  Square,  at 
$130,880.  He  says  with  reference  to  the  branch  sewers 


* This  is  at  least  premature. 


8 


needed  for  the  completion  of  his  plan,  only  that  in  the 
aggregate  they  must  be  "very  expensive.”  It  would  prob- 
ably not  be  too  much  to  estimate  their  cost,  by  the  time  the 
work  is  completed  over  the  area  covered  by  the  company’s 
proposition  at  $350,000,  making  a total  of  $480,000. 

In  addition  to  this,  three  years’  time  would  be  required 
for  the  construction  of  the  mains,  only,  and  the  work  of 
sewering  the  city  would  probably  be  extended  over  a period 
of  ten  years. 

The  tunnel  proposed  by  Capt.  Cotton  to  take  the  drain- 
age of  the  eastern  slope  would  cost,  according  to  his 
estimate,  $43,500.  It  would  be  necessary  to  add  to  this  at 
least  $1,500  for  the  expensive  deep  shafts  required  to  admit 
tributary  sewers  according  to  his  description,  making  a total 
of  $45,000.  The  interest  on  this  sum  at  5 per  cent,  per 
annum  would  be  $2,250.  As  an  illustration  of  the  extrava- 
gance of  this  proposed  work  it  may  be  said  that  the  whole 
area  to  be  sewered  by  that  tunnel  is  about  371  acres.  On 
this  area  there  are  now  53  houses.  Supposing  the  whole 
to  be  built  up  with  a house  to  each  half  acre  there  would  be 
743  houses  containing  a population,  at  7 1-2  persons  to  the 
house,  of  5.565.  The  sewage  produced  by  this  population 
would  not  exceed  185,500  gallons  per  day,  or  1,067  pounds 
per  minute.  To  force  this  over  the  hill  into  the  main  sewer 
would  require  a lift  of  35  feet,  or  a constant  expenditure  of 
one  and  one  tenth  horse  power.  The  construction  of  a suit- 
able sump  to  receive  this  sewage  and  of  a force  main  and  a 
compressed-air  ejector  to  lift  it, — which  would  not  be  needed 
for  a very  long  time  to  come, — would  not  exceed  $5,000. 
The  cost  of  1. 1 horse  power  working,  continuously  for  a 
year  would  not  exceed  $100,  and  the  interest  on  $5,000  at 
5 per  cent,  would  be  $250,  making  a total  of  $350  against 
a total  of  $2,250 — or  an  annual  saving  of  $1,900. 

The  same  financial  argument  holds  good  against  the 
whole  of  the  large  sewer  system.  Aside  from  its  very 


9 


serious  sanitary  disadvantages,  it  would  be  inordinately 
expensive  and  would  entail  a constant  heavy  charge  on  the 
community  for  interest. 

As  to  the  system  covered  by  this  proposition  it  is  only 
necessary  to  refer  to  its  very  extensive  application  and  very 
thorough  trial  in  the  City  of  Memphis. 

Concerning  this  we  submit  the  following  letters  from  Dr. 
D.  T.  Porter,  the  President  of  the  Legislation  Council  and 
chief  executive  officer  of  that  city  ; Maj.  J.  H.  Humphreys, 
the  engineer  in  charge  of  the  work,  and  Maj.  W.  PI.  H. 
Benvaurd,  U.  S.  Engineer,  long.resident  in  ■ Memphis  and 
an  interested  observer  of  the  working  of  the  new  sewers  : 

Memphis,  Tenn.,  Oct.  22,  1880. 

To  his  Honor  the  Mayor  and  City  Council  of  Newport, 

R.  /. 

Gentlemen  : — We  have  been  requested  to  give  you  our 
opinion  of  the  system  of  sewers  adopted  by  and  in  use  in 
this  city. 

The  first  pipe  was  laid  in  January  last  and  the  sewers 
have  been  in  use  since  March  or  April. 

I have  watched  the  working  of  these  sewers  very  closelv 
and  I don’t  think  I can  suggest  any  improvement  on  the 
plan  ; they  seem  to  have  given  entire  satisfaction  and  are, 
so  far  as  I have  been  able  to  discover,  entirely  free  from 
sewer  gas,  which  we  think  one  of  the  most  important 
requisites  of  perfect  sewers.  1 

Before  this  system  was  presented  to  me,  I had  never 
investigated  any  but  larger  sewers,  and  I was  slow  to  adopt 
it;  but  now,  if  I had  an  opportunity  to  increase  the  6 inch 


IO 


pipe  to  8 inch  pipe,  I would  not  do  so,  believing  the  6 inch 
to  be  ample  in  size  for  short  laterals. 

Of  course  the  flush  tanks  make  this  system  a success. 
They  should  be  kept  in  order  and  we  have  found  very  little 
trouble  in  doing  so. 

If  you  contemplate  sewering  your  city  I would  advise  you 
by  all  means  to  adopt  this  plan,  or  to  send  an  agent  here  to 
see  their  working  before  accepting  any  other.  We  will 
take  great  pleasure  in  showing  your  agent  the  entire  work- 
ing of  the  system. 

Very  Respectfully, 

[signed.]  D.  T.  PORTER,  President. 

Attest : 

[signed.]  C.  L.  PULLEN,  Sect’y. 


Memphis,  Tenn.,  Oct.  19,  1880. 
Mayor  and  Common  Council , City  of  Newport , R.  /. 

Gentlemen  : — I have  been  asked  for  an  opinion  as  to 
the  efficiency  of  the  Memphis  system  of  sewerage. 

The  first  pipes  were  laid  here  last  January  and  to  this 
date  there  has  not  been  a single  failure  in  any  sewrer  either 
from  obstructions  or  otherwise.  It  has  answered  the  pur- 
pose for  which  it  was  constructed  (removal  of  house  sewage) 
so  completely  that  all  opposition  to  it  has  ceased  and  all 
classes  of  people  are  connecting  with  it  as  rapidly  as  the 
plumbers  can  do  the  work. 

Respectfully, 

[signed.]  J.  H.  HUMPHREYS, 

Engineer  in  charge  of  Sewers. 


II 


U.  S.  Engineer  Office,  ^ 

Memphis,  Tenn.,  > 

October  19th,  1880.  9 

To  the  Mayor  and  Common  Council , City  of  Newport, 

R.  L 

Having  been  requested  to  give  my  opinion  in  regard  to 
the  system  of  sewerage  adopted  for  the  city  of  Memphis,  I 
desire  to  state  that  I have  closely  observed  the  work  from 
its  very  inception  and  have  made  frequent  inspections  in 
order  to  observe  the  workings  of  the  different  parts.  While 
the  entire  work  has  not  been  completed — though  nearly  so 
— I am  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  success  of  the  system  is 
assured.  The  sizes  of  the  pipes  adopted  and  their  arrange- 
ment are  amply  sufficient  to  carry  off  all  the  flow,  and  the 
addition  of  the  flush  tanks  assures  at  all  times  a freedom 
from  accumulated  matter.  Every  thing  works  admirably. 

Very  respectfully, 

[signed.]  W.  H.  H.  BENYAURD, 

Major  Engineers. 


This  testimony  can  be  reinforced  by  any  amount  of 
evidence  that  may  be  desired.  There  cannot  be  the  least 
question  of  the  success  of  the  system  there,  nor  of  the 
certainty  of  its  success  here.  It  is  the  cleanest,  the  cheapest 
and  the  most  regular  in  its  working  of  all  the  systems  of 
sewerage  yet  devised. 

Aside  from  its  great  economy,  it  is  a marked  advantage  of 
the  Memphis  system  that  it  can  be  applied  in  so  short  a 
time,  and  the  work  finished  once  for  all.  As  the  laying  of 
the  sewers  progresses  the  necessary  house  drains  would  be 


12 


constructed  at  the  same  time  and  the  street  returned  to  its 
useful  condition.  Thereafter,  when  houses  are  to  be 
connected,  instead  of  breaking  up  the  pavement  for  that 
purpose  it  will  be  necessary  only  to  cross  the  sidewalk  to 
the  indicated  point  to  find  the  head  of  the  proper  connection 
pipe. 

The  Company’s  proposition,  therefore,  puts  it  within  the 
power  of  the  City  (jovernment  to  complete  its  entire 
sewerage  work  so  far  as  the  district  shown  is  concerned 
within  a single  year,  and  to  pay  for  it  without  entailing  any 
extravagant  charge  upon  the  community. 


DESCRIPTION  OP  THE  PLAN. 

By  Geo.  E.  Waring,  Jr.,  Consulting  Engineer. 


THE  OUTLET. 

Captain  Cotton  adopted  the  west  side  of  Goat  Island  as 
the  most  desirable  point  for  an  outlet.  At  the  same  time, 
he  in  no  wise  objected  to  my  original  suggestion  in  favor 
of  the  west  side  of  Coaster’s  Harbor  Island.  I have  again 
considered  the  whole  subject  and  I adhere  to  my  former 
opinion.  Inverted  siphons  and  submerged  pipes  are  always 
a more  or  less  hazardous  reliance,  and  they  should  be 
resorted  to  only  in  cases  of  real  necessity.  It  is  quite  likely 
that  the  economy  of  this  outlet,  in  view  of  the  great  size  of 
Capt.  Cotton’s  main  sewer  would  furnish  a sufficient  argu- 
ment in  its  favor  if  the  storm  water  system  were  to  be 
adopted,  but  where  the  main  is  only  15  inches  in  diameter 
there  can  be  no  question  as  to  the  greater  economy  of  the 
outlet  at  Coaster’s  Harbor  Island.  I think  also  that  there 
is  no  doubt  that  the  dispersion  of  the  effluent  matter  would 
be  much  more  complete  at  that  point. 

Then,  too,  when  a town  is  sewered  by  the  Memphis  plan, 
everything  being  washed  to  the  outlet  by  the  action  of  the 
flush-tanks,  as  often  as  once  in  twelve  hours  if  desired, 
nothing  whatever  remaining  to  decompose  in  the  sewers, 
the  effluent  is  so  entirely  different  from  that  of  ordinary 
sewers  that  the  question  of  disposal  is  very  much  less 
important.  Probably  nine  tenths  of  the  solid  matter  dis- 
charged by  the  15  inch  main  sewer  would  be  consumed  by 
fishes  within  an  hour  of  its  delivery. 


H 


THE  MAIN  AND  SUB-MAIN  SEWERS. 

The  main  sewer  of  the  proposed  system  begins  in  Spring 
Street,  at  the  foot  of  Perry  Street ; follows  Spring  Street 
to  the  alley  back  of  the  State  House  ; passes  the  north  end 
of  the  State  House  and  follows  Farewell  Street  to  Walnut 
Street;  follows  Walnut  Street  to  the  Old  Colony  R.  R., 
and  the  east  side  of  the  railroad  to  a point  where  its  grade 
will  carry  it  sufficiently  below  the  road  bed,  when  it  crosses 
the  track  and  runs  along  the  west  side  of  the  railroad  to  the 
Malbone  brook,  and  thence,  about  on  the  course  indicated, 
to  the  point  of  outlet.  This  sewer  is  entered  by  one  sub- 
main  on  Warner  Street,  one  on  Tanner  Street,  one  on 
Broadway,  one  on  Touro  Street,  and  one  on  Church  Street. 
The  connection  of  the  laterals  with  these  sub-mains  is 
shown  on  the  map.  Another  main  starts  at  the  south 
end  of  Thames  Street,  and  runs  to  the  sump  at  the  foot  of 
Brewer  Street.  Another  main  starts  on  Thames  Street 
near  the  City  Hall  and  runs  southerly  to  the  same  sump. 
These  two  mains  drain  the  territory  between  Spring  Street 
and  Thames  Street,  from  Mary  Street  to  Dixon  Street. 
Also  Spring  Street  from  Perry  Street  to  Webster  Street, 
and  Bellevue  Avenue  and  the  cross  streets  as  showm. 
The  sump  near  the  pond  at  Bridge  Street  drains  the  whole 
district  north  of  Washington  Square  and  west  of  the  main 
sewer  as  shown. 

PUMPING. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  proper  drainage  of  the 
lower  parts  of  Newport,  that  the  sewage  be  lifted  by 
mechanical  power,  into  the  elevated  main  sewer.  For  this 
purpose  tbe  sump  at  the  foot  of  Brewer  Street  is  connected 
with  the  Spring  Street  sewer  by  an  iron  force  main  laid  in 
Brewer  Street.  The  Bridge  Street  sump  is  connected  in 
like  manner  by  an  iron  force  main  leading  to  the  crossing 
of  Walnut  Street  and  the  Old  Colony  Railroad. 


i5 


The  power  required  to  do  this  lifting  will  not  exceed,  in 
constant  work,  two  and  one  half  horse  power.  It  would 
not  be  worth  while  to  erect  steam  pumps  and  to  provide 
attendants  for  such  trifling  duty. 

The  work  can  probably  be  most  economically  done  by 
the  use  of  automatic  compressed  air  ejectors,  such  as  are 
used  in  England ; or  by  a use  of  a modification  of  the 
Pulsometer,  which  is  in  use  in  this  country,  the  steam  or 
compressed  air  being  furnished  by  contract  by  some  estab- 
lishment in  the  city  where  steam  power  is  used.  In  view 
of  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  best  course  to  be  pursued  in 
this  matter,  the  pumping  apparatus  has  not  been  provided 
for  in  the  estimate.  The  Company  will  engage  that  the 
apparatus  and  appurtenances  shall  not  cost  more  than 
$5,000,  and  will  furnish  it  at  actual  cost. 

DETAILS. 

The  details  of  the  work  are  to  be  in  all  essential  particu- 
lars the  same  here  as  in  Memphis.  These  are  described 
with  sufficient  accuracy  in  an  account  of  that  work  in  the 
New  York  Herald  of  Aug.  26th,  a copy  of  which  is  submit- 
ted herewith.  They  are  more  minutely  set  forth,  and  are 
illustrated  by  diagrams,  in  the  paper  read  by  Mr.  Rogers 
Field  before  the  Sanitary  Institute  of  Great  Britain,  a copy 
of  which  will  be  submitted  in  a short  time. 

GENERAL. 

The  plan  proposed  excludes  that  part  of  the  city  which 
may  be  drained  into  the  Middleton  Avenue  sewer.  Until 
the  rest  of  the  city  is  properly  provided  for,  it  would  be 
unwise  to  incur  expense  in  this  section. 

The  Perry  Street  sewer  may  safely  be  accepted  as  a part 
of  the  new  system.  The  other  existing  sewers  cannot  be  so 
accepted.  They  may  continue  to  act  for  the  removal  of 
storm  water  so  long  as  the  city  is  willing  to  tolerate  the  foul 
odor  of  their  catch-basins.  When  these  shall  be  abated, 
these  sewers  will  still  do  some  good  as  subsoil  drains. 


r . 

| r.+ 


: $5* 


* 


* 


